PP experiment on backlit squirrel: This morning I was able to capture a fairly nice shot of a squirrel with strong backlighting. I decided to play around a bit in PSE12 with the image...

jwt Loc: Texas Hill Country

This morning I was able to capture a fairly nice shot of a squirrel with strong backlighting. I decided to play around a bit in PSE12 with the image to try some different effects. I put up the original shot again and the doctored shot right after for comparison. Please critique to your hearts content. I am still learning about this post process stuff. Please try the downloads and thanks.

Original capture

(Download)

PSE12 experimentation.

(Download)

tainkc Loc: Kansas City

Well, I think you started with a very well done photo. The 2nd one just does not cut it in any form. I think you can see why. That's o.k. It is fun to mess around.

One thing that you could have done with the first photo is to use a little master saturation (not much) to make it a bit more vibrant. Then work backwards making slight adjustments if need be. This is only if you want to. The photo is pretty good as is.

jwt Loc: Texas Hill Country

tainkc wrote:

Well, I think you started with a very well done photo. The 2nd one just does not cut it in any form. I think you can see why. That's o.k. It is fun to mess around.

One thing that you could have done with the first photo is to use a little master saturation (not much) to make it a bit more vibrant. Then work backwards making slight adjustments if need be. This is only if you want to. The photo is pretty good as is.

Thanks for the critique tain, I am really new at this photo post processing. Back in the day it seemed to make more sense in the dark room, but hey this is way more flexible. Messing around was my primary objective for sure.Thanks again.

photophile Loc: Lakewood, Ohio, USA

jwt wrote:

This morning I was able to capture a fairly nice shot of a squirrel with strong backlighting. I decided to play around a bit in PSE12 with the image to try some different effects. I put up the original shot again and the doctored shot right after for comparison. Please critique to your hearts content. I am still learning about this post process stuff. Please try the downloads and thanks.

Very attractive and you didn't lose any details.

jwt Loc: Texas Hill Country

photophile wrote:

Very attractive and you didn't lose any details.

Thanks photophile, this PP stuff is really a lot of fun and I hope to improve as I keep experimenting. Thanks again.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

I like that shot a lot, jwt.

If I were to do any PP, here is what I would do. (Hope you don't mind.)

(Download)

jwt Loc: Texas Hill Country

Blenheim Orange wrote:

I like that shot a lot, jwt.

If I were to do any PP, here is what I would do. (Hope you don't mind.)

I don't mind at all Blenheim Orange, but I am having a hard time seeing what you did different from my original capture. Must be my old eyes, help me out here please.

GWR100 Loc: England

I like back light pictures, and yours is a nice shot Jim. Im not to worried about the leave top right but I feel the one bottom left would be best cloned out.

Geoff

jwt wrote:

This morning I was able to capture a fairly nice shot of a squirrel with strong backlighting. I decided to play around a bit in PSE12 with the image to try some different effects. I put up the original shot again and the doctored shot right after for comparison. Please critique to your hearts content. I am still learning about this post process stuff. Please try the downloads and thanks.

jwt Loc: Texas Hill Country

GWR100 wrote:

I like back light pictures, and yours is a nice shot Jim. Im not to worried about the leave top right but I feel the one bottom left would be best cloned out.

Geoff

Thanks Geoff that makes sense to me; thanks for the help.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

jwt wrote:

I don't mind at all Blenheim Orange, but I am having a hard time seeing what you did different from my original capture. Must be my old eyes, help me out here please.

On the left side of the image there are some distracting vertical lines. I took those out and softened the whole area, then added back in a couple of the whiskers with vector lines.

Mike

jwt Loc: Texas Hill Country

Blenheim Orange wrote:

On the left side of the image there are some distracting vertical lines. I took those out and softened the whole area, then added back in a couple of the whiskers with vector lines.

Mike

Fantastic Mike, sheesh now I see what you were talking about and how you fixed it. Very nice, I need to try to sharpen these old eyes. Thanks again for the critique and the help.

Lamanup Loc: Darjeeling

jwt wrote:

This morning I was able to capture a fairly nice shot of a squirrel with strong backlighting. I decided to play around a bit in PSE12 with the image to try some different effects. I put up the original shot again and the doctored shot right after for comparison. Please critique to your hearts content. I am still learning about this post process stuff. Please try the downloads and thanks.

It's a great shot as it is. The lighting is beautiful. Though i liked what B. Orange did with the verticle lines.
IMHO your processed image would've looked great it were a butterfly, dragonfly, etc. Wild animals look best in its natural colors and settings. Just a slight tweek on contrast and sharpness serves the purpose. BTW, I m also just learning to use LR 5 on my photos. :D

angler Loc: StHelens England

I like the first one Jim and I would have just leveled the board it's standing on to square it up a little.

jwt Loc: Texas Hill Country

Lamanup wrote:

It's a great shot as it is. The lighting is beautiful. Though i liked what B. Orange did with the verticle lines.
IMHO your processed image would've looked great it were a butterfly, dragonfly, etc. Wild animals look best in its natural colors and settings. Just a slight tweek on contrast and sharpness serves the purpose. BTW, I m also just learning to use LR 5 on my photos. :D

Thanks for viewing & the nice comment. This PP software is amazing isn't it. Thanks again.

jwt Loc: Texas Hill Country

angler wrote:

I like the first one Jim and I would have just leveled the board it's standing on to square it up a little.

Good morning Jim, thanks for stopping by and the nice comment. I should have followed my first instinct, I actually thought about trying to level the board as you mentioned. Oh well still learning this PP. :) :thumbup: